Portuguese star Norberto Mourao delivered home joy in Paracanoe with victory on the final day of the Paddle Europe Sprint Championships in Montemor-o-Velho.
There was also double delight for Great Britain as Emma Wiggs and Hope Gordon emerged victorious to cap a fantastic competition for their country, while Ukraine’s Vladyslav Yepifanov was another gold medallist in Portugal.
Mourao overcame Spain’s Higinio Rivero by 0.10 to capture the European crown in the men’s VL2 as he crossed the finish line in 52.242.
This was also a European best time in the event, beating the previous best registered 10 years ago.
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Rivero bagged silver in 52.342 while AIN-A paddler Roman Serebriakov clinched bronze in 52.832.
Great Britain’s Wiggs reclaimed the women’s VL2 title as she continues her superb comeback from injury.
After missing last year’s European Championships due to shoulder surgery, Wiggs made a winning return to the continental stage, triumphing in 56.781 to add to her silver in yesterday’s women’s KL2.
AIN-B paddler Anastasia Miasnikova, the reigning world champion, claimed silver in 59.691, with bronze going to AIN-A paddler Ekaterina Statsenko in 1:04.515.
Great Britain’s second gold of the day came in the women’s KL3 when Hope Gordon bounced back from the disappointment of failing to retain the women’s VL3 title by securing top spot.
Gordon triumphed in 46.919 as France’s Nelia Barbosa bagged silver in 47.944 and Katarzyna Sobczak earned bronze in 48.304.
Just 0.16 separated the top three in a gripping men’s VL3 final after a sensational finish in Montemor-o-Velho.
Reigning Paralympic champion Vladyslav Yepifanov just did enough to retain his European title, winning in 47.380.
Great Britain’s Stuart Wood was a mere 0.09 off Yepifanov as he took silver in 47.470, while France’s Abel Aber bagged bronze in 47.540.
AIN-A paddler Aleksandra Dupik secured her second gold of the weekend with victory in the women’s VL1.
Less than 24 hours after winning the women’s KL1 crown, Dupik topped the podium again as she finished in 1:05.371.
Like the women’s KL1 final, Italy’s Viktoryia Shablova had to settle for silver again, finishing in 1:11.881.
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